Introduction

Rural Newfoundlanders have always made at least part of their living from the things around them. They cut wood in the winter to build their boats and to build and heat their homes. They hunted moose and birds and snared rabbits for food in the fall. They jigged cod for the winter. People kept cows, chickens and sheep for food. They picked berries and grew vegetables. They followed a cycle of work that kept time with the seasons.

In fact, during the Great Depression, rural Newfoundlanders were expected to fend for themselves. In the 1930s dole rations (social assistance) were cut during the fishing season. People in the outports were told to feed their families with fish until the end of the fall.

But the rules are changing in rural Newfoundland. Natural resources such as timber have been used up by pulp and paper mills. In 1992 the northern cod fishery was closed. Groundfish stocks had been destroyed by overfishing and technology. Rabbit populations were low and salmon stocks were just starting to come back.

At the same time, new industries such as tourism wanted a share of the natural resources. Hunting and fishing guides wanted easy access to wildlife. They wanted a share of a shrinking number of hunting and fishing licences. Towns and villages tried to beautify and modernize the land and homes in their areas. They hoped to bring in tourists and create new jobs in their communities. The laws for local use of natural resources and land are changing to suit these new problems and demands.

For example, the laws concerning farm animals have been changing since the 1980s. That's when many communities became towns or villages. Farm animals used to roam freely along village streets and in local meadows. They must be fenced in most communities now. Animals such as cows and chickens have been banned from many towns.

In the 1990s, the amount of firewood and the number of logs people could take were cut back. Licences were needed to catch even a small bucket of herring, mackerel or squid. In 1994, government workers began calling the cod food fishery a recreational or sport fishery. It was closed for the first time in Newfoundland history that year. A licence may be needed to jig a few cod for the winter if it opens again. Even the childhood pleasure of fishing for conners off the wharf became against the law.

There are thousands of new and old wildlife, fishery, and land use rules. In the 1990s the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) teamed up with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and provincial wildlife officers. Their goal was to crack down on Newfoundlanders who broke these laws. They declared a war on poaching.